During a hospital visit or other long-term extended stay in a medical facility, patients must often endure having various tubes inserted into their nasal cavity. Such tubes include nasogastric tubes for use in feeding and administering drugs as well as oxygen tubes used to deliver concentrated oxygen. Such tubes are typically held in place to the patient's nose and face area using sections of adhesive tape. Each time the various tubes are removed and/or replaced, new pieces of tape are utilized. As one could imagine, such tape quickly becomes irritating leading to chaffing, redness, and other discomfort for the patient. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which patients who have various medical tubes inserted into their nasal cavity can be spared the discomfort of adhesive tape. The development of the gastric nasal tube support system fulfills this need.
There have been several attempts in the past to invent gastric nasal tube support systems that do not rely on the use of adhesive tape. U.S. Pat. No. 2,168,705, issued in the name of Francisco, describes a nasal inhaler. This patent features a support structure similar to a frame for eyeglasses that is supported by the ears along with a tube assembly that is supported by the frame above the patient's nose. This patent does not disclose eyewear that is supported to a patient's head with an adjustable elastic strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,259,817, issued in the name of Hawkins, describes an adjustable head attachment for oxygen tubes. This patent features a tube assembly that is inserted into a patient's nose and is supported by a non-elastic band at the patient's forehead. This patent does not disclose eyewear that is supported to a patient's head with an adjustable elastic strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,941, issued in the name of Timmons, describes an eyeglass frame and nasal cannula assembly. This patent features a pair of conventional appearing eyeglasses that mask a cannula tube assembly to allow a patient to inconspicuously use a portable oxygen tank. This patent does not disclose eyewear that is supported to a patient's head with an adjustable elastic strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,883, issued in the name of Burns, describes a nasal cannula headband apparatus. This patent features a tube assembly that is inserted into a patient's nose and is supported by a friction supported non-elastic band at the patient's forehead. This patent does not disclose eyewear that is supported to a patient's head with an adjustable elastic strap.
While these support systems fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more disadvantages. Accordingly, there exists a need for gastric nasal tube support system without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.